


Lines, and Crossing Them

by legendaryroar



Series: James and Keith Week 2018 [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Apologies, Confessions, First Kiss, Galaxy Garrison, Jealousy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 14:40:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15951431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/legendaryroar/pseuds/legendaryroar
Summary: James crossed a line with his comment about Keith's parents, and he knows it. He goes to apologise.





	Lines, and Crossing Them

**Author's Note:**

> For James and Keith Week Day 1 - ~~Competition/Co-operation~~ / **Confessions**

“Get out,” Keith said, not even opening his eyes. He was sitting on the floor, leaning against his bed. The skin over his knuckles was mottled with bruises now, and seeing it made James’ face ache.

It also made his hands curl into fists without even meaning to, but he took a slow breath and uncurled them again. He wasn’t here to start another fight. Dammit, for once he needed to stop letting Keith get under his skin.

“I’m sorry.”

The words were hard to get out, but sticking around after was torture. Keith’s eyes flew open, and he turned to look at James with open suspicion.

“What?” he asked, even though there could be no doubt that he heard perfectly.

James’ hands itched to curl into fists again. He hated doing this. He hated that the outcome would probably be worse than going forward without saying anything at all. But still, he had to. It had been eating away at him since he said it.

“I was out of line,” he said, straightening his back. “I should never have mentioned your parents.”

Keith frowned at him for a moment, and then unfolded, rising to his feet. He didn’t move closer, but James was well aware that with Keith’s speed, he could lash out fast enough that James probably wouldn’t be able to block him well. It was another damn thing he envied about him. Along with everything else.

His hands curled into fists again.

“You know I’m an orphan,” Keith finally said, his gaze dropping to James’ fists.

James wanted to look away. He could feel his shoulders caving a little. “I was out of line,” he repeated. “I’m not taking back what I said about Shiro, but that bit about your parents, that was out of line.”

Keith frowned at him again, squinting like he was trying to figure out his angle. Mentioning Shiro didn’t even seem to have any effect. There was no distracting from what he was doing then. He had to see it through. It was for the best. Keith was too damn good at getting under his skin and making him act without thinking, _speak_ without thinking. It was something he needed to work on for command. Just like this, even if it was sure to end badly, was good practise in conflict resolution.

It would all serve a purpose.

“Then why did you say it?”

The one question he didn’t want Keith asking, but one of the things he’d come to say. The worst part of the whole incident. Even though he didn’t throw the first punch, he been berated for baiting another cadet. For poor impulse control, they’d rightly said. Worse, he had been asked to explain his poor control.

“It was a reflex to your bragging,” he muttered. “I didn’t think. I was pissed off and reacted. There’s no excuse for bringing up your parents.”

In all the ways he and Keith had fought over the years, all the way through school, they’d never resorted to low blows like that. Keith barely ever got personal at all, it was always James crossing that line and escalating things. He was incapable of leaving him alone. He was so transparent he wished Keith would just punch him again and put him out of his misery.

“It’s not bragging if it’s the truth,” Keith muttered, finally looking away. 

James squeezed his hands into tighter fists. Keith was so damn flippant about his abilities. So comfortable with them, relying on them being there without hard work. It wasn’t fair when he was so terrible at every other aspect of being a soldier, never following orders correctly, always messing up group training.

“It’s not my fault you can’t control your jealousy,” Keith said, his posture shifting slightly like he expected a fight. “Work harder and get better, or stop getting angry about my skill.”

The urge to lash out was almost unbearable. For all his good qualities, Keith really was a complete asshole sometimes. It was worse that he was absolutely right. And that was the point, James reminded himself. That was why he was there. The stupid idea that maybe voicing it would somehow make it easier to deal with.

Trying to fix this was better than leaving it to escalate again. He felt sick thinking back on how he’d let his own jealously provoke him into saying something so cruel. Keith could be a total dick, sure, but there were other ways to get back at him without resorting to that. He didn’t deserve that. 

“It would be easier to deal with the jealousy if you weren’t always acting like every training exercise was a waste of time when the rest of us are trying to learn. Not everyone is as skilled as you are, most of us have to work harder for it, and you make everyone feel like shit when you act like it’s all beneath you.”

Keith stared at him. “What?”

“Yes, you can outfly all of us, easily, but there’s more to being a pilot than that. You can’t follow simple orders, and that kind of attitude gets people killed. You may be a natural pilot, but you’re behind the rest of us when it comes to actually _being_ a pilot in the Garrison.”

Keith’s expression twisted into anger, but he snapped his mouth shut again as soon as he’d opened it, frowning instead. James wished he could uncurl his fists. He didn’t come here for a fight, but damn, it would be easier than baring himself to Keith this way, and for what? Some vain hope that voicing all this would make it easier? That he’d stop feeling so jealous once he admitted it out loud? That maybe, just maybe, he’d get through to Keith and they would stop fighting all the time?

Or at least that he could get through to Keith that he didn’t mean to hurt him with that comment about his parents. That he didn’t hate him enough to mean it. That he didn’t really hate him at all.

“Are you...are you _complimenting_ me?”

James sucked in a deep breath, but Keith didn’t say anything more, just frowned at him like he didn’t believe it. Which was bullshit with the way he’d bragged about it right before James had crossed the line in response.

“Don’t let it go to your head,” he muttered, feeling a surge of warmth in his face and hating it. Keith really had no idea how much everyone else looked up to his skill. He would know if he wasn’t so damn unapproachable. The only person James had ever seen him act friendly towards was Shiro.

That was another thing that got him riled up, but he wasn’t about to mention _that_ now. Telling him he thought he was a good pilot was bad enough after fighting with him for so long.

“You think that...but I thought...”

Keith frowned more deeply, and James thought it was probably time to leave. It was out there now. Keith knew he hadn’t meant the comment about his parents, and now he also knew James was jealous. That would probably bite James in the ass, but at least knowing that Keith knew might temper it a little. Maybe make him less likely to act on it, since Keith would know exactly why and throw it in his face.

Or, probably, he wouldn’t. Keith didn’t get personal like that.

“Look, I really didn’t mean that comment about your parents, alright? That was cruel and I’m sorry about that. I just had to tell you that,” James said, turning for the door. “Just forget the rest.”

A hand shot out and grabbed his arm, pulling him back around. The heat in James’ face grew. He really should have just left it all alone. He just gave Keith so much ammunition to use against him. He was sure everyone else knew he was jealous of Keith already, always chasing his simulation scores and failing, always getting angry whenever Keith talked himself up in that defensive but factual way of his, but at least Keith had never called him out on jealousy before now. And James just gave him the power to do so.

“You think I’m better than you at flying?” Keith asked, still holding his arm, still frowning at him. “You’re always picking apart my sim runs like a total asshole.”

James’ face is burning now. That was a bad habit he got into after Keith had been so reactive the first time he’d done it. He always looked so bored out of the simulator, like he could do it in his sleep. He probably could, and James hated that he had to work so much harder for even close to the same score. The temptation to make Keith stop looking so damn bored was always too much for him, even if it always backfired.

“Yeah, well...” There really wasn’t anything to say to that unless he wanted to start a fight or embarrass himself further.

Screw it. He might as well go all in. How much worse could things get?

“You always look so bored when you come out of the sim, it’s irritating,” he explained. 

Keith squinted at him. “Irritating because it’s not as easy for you?”

James’ ears started burning along with the rest of his face. “I’m right behind you on the leaderboard!”

“You get irritated because you’re jealous,” Keith said, though the corners of his lips were twitching. Like he was going to smile at him. “Because you think I’m a good pilot.”

“I’ll overtake you!”

Keith’s expression changed. His lips curved. He was smiling at James. No...it almost looked like...

“ Can’t wait,” Keith said, giving his arm a squeeze because  _ he was still holding his arm _ , “to see you fail.”

James snapped his gaze up and took in how smug Keith looked. But he was smiling. Grinning, now. Just hours earlier he’d been glaring and lashing out at him, and now he was  _ smiling _ . At  _ him _ . 

Shit, seeing that smile just made him want to lean forward and kiss him. But even thinking that was bad. He’d been keeping all that locked away tight. A background hum beneath the jealousy that he was trying to strangle out of existence. 

“How’s your face, by the way?” Keith asked, finally letting go of his arm. He didn’t step back, but he looked a bit guarded.

“What do you think?” James said, glaring at him. “It hurts.”

Keith stepped closer, peering at him. James held his breath and told himself firmly _not_ to look at his lips.

“You went down so easy,” Keith muttered. “Wasn’t expecting that, but I couldn’t stop. You really did cross a line.”

“I did, but you still have anger issues,” James said.

“Hypocrite,” Keith said, shaking his head. “You’re the one turning everything into a fight.”

“You’re the one pissing me off all the time!” James snapped.

Keith grinned, and James couldn’t stop himself from looking at his mouth.

“Because you’re _jealous_ ,” Keith said, sounding smug. “Because _I’m_ the better pilot, just like you’ve always been denying. You can’t take it back now.”

Shit, he was  _ right there _ . And he was already bringing up his jealousy, so maybe he would start getting personal when they fought. How much worse could it get?

“Quit looking at me like that,” Keith said, his voice suddenly much lower. “Unless you mean it.”

James looked up. “What?”

“You know what,” Keith replied, his gaze dropping too, pink staining his cheeks.

Well shit, James thought. Now he really couldn’t stop himself. Keith’s skin felt just as warm under his hand as it looked. And he didn’t even pull away when James cupped the side of his face.

Fuck. He’d hit Keith with this hand just hours earlier, and Keith wasn’t even flinching away from him. No, he was leaning closer, closing his eyes.

They were kissing. 

Then Keith was pulling away. “You think I’m a good pilot,” he said breathlessly.

“You’re still shit at everything else, don’t let it go to your head,” James said, leaning in again. 

Keith made a sound of protest against his lips, but kissed back, with enough forced to push them back a bit. His hands were grabbing fistfuls of his shirt. James forgot to breathe, but it was okay, Keith pulled back again.

“Mention my parents again and I’ll break your face,” he growled, before moving in again before James could reply.

It hardly mattered, he couldn’t think of anything to say as Keith backed him right up against the back of the door, kissing him as if he’d been wanting to for months. But he had to say  _ something _ .

He broke off and placed a hand on Keith’s chest to keep him away. Keith froze and stared at him with wide eyes.

“I didn’t expect this when I came to apologise,” James said stupidly, as if that explained anything.

Keith stared at him, his expression slowly shutting down. “I didn’t expect an apology.”

As James tried to think of what to say, he became painfully aware of their breathing. Loud and fast. From just kissing. 

“I crossed a line, I couldn’t leave it at that,” James finally said.

Keith snorted. “You always have to be so noble.”

James refused to rise to the bait. “I’m sorry, alright? It’s not like you didn’t already punch me for it. What more do you want? I felt terrible the moment I said it.”

“I don’t feel bad for punching you,” Keith said, his expression defiant.

That really should have pissed James off but it was so... _ Keith _ .

“Well, I guess you kissed it better,” he said lamely.

Keith’s gaze dropped to his mouth. “Yeah, I guess I did.”

James had only come to apologise to him about that comment, and to admit to his jealousy. He’d never expected this. But he’d been wanting it. If Keith might have been wanting it as well...

“So...”

Keith met his gaze, seemed to study him for a moment, and then shrugged. “We can pretend this never happened, if you like?”

James’ stomach dropped. “What?”

Keith looked away, made a lame gesture with one hand, and then shrugged again. “It’s not like we’re even friends, James. That was a bit...weird.”

“Oh.”

Keith looked back at him sharply, and James wanted to cringe. He hadn’t managed to keep any of his disappointment from his voice.

“Or...”

“Or?” James repeated.

“Shit, James, I don’t know,” Keith suddenly snapped, throwing his arms up and shaking his head. “You started it.”

“ _I_ started it?” James spluttered. “ _You_ flirted!”

“Bullshit! _You_ kissed me first!”

“Ugh, you are so...so...” James gave up and stepped forward, cupping Keith’s face and pulling him into another kiss.

“You’re worse,” Keith managed to get out, pulling back to say it but then only pressing forward again.

James made an annoyed sound, but got his hands in Keith’s hair to tug him closer instead of responding. He’d rather be kissing him than fighting with him again. When he tugged on his hair, Keith made a startled sound and opened his mouth. James shivered as their kisses deepened, as Keith surged forward and backed him against the door again.

By the time they pulled apart, flinching away from each other as a door slammed somewhere outside the room, they were both red faced and breathing heavily. James was hard in his pants, but he’d felt Keith against his hip every now and then, so it was probably okay.

Keith stepped back and ran a hand through his hair as he looked James over. “My roommate is probably going to be back soon,” he said. His voice was breathless, and it made James ache.

“Yeah,” he said stupidly instead. “So…”

Keith rolled his eyes. “So go, idiot.”

James glared at him, but stepped away from the door so he could open it. “But about this…?”

Red already stained Keith’s cheeks, but it seemed to darken as he looked away. “I don’t know. You started it.”

“ _You_ started it!” James said, pointing at him. 

Keith groaned. “Ugh, get out before I hit you again.”

That was too good to pass up. “Will you kiss it better again if you do?” he asked with a grin.

There was a moment of silence, and then Keith  _ growled _ . He reached out, and James thought he was going to hit him right the n and there , but he just opened the door and shoved James out into the corridor.

The door slammed behind him before he could say anything, but James found he couldn’t stop grinning anyway. Maybe he should apologise and mention his jealousy to Keith more often if that was the reaction he’d get. 

It was certainly better than being punched in the face.

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo the confession is obviously the jealousy, hopefully it fits the prompt well enough XD
> 
> You can find me at [legendaryroar](http://legendaryroar.tumblr.com) on tumblr.


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